Shelby Corcoran and April Rhodes
Instalment 3: Just As I Am
The tired and cold brunette sat up straighter, looking in to the lights that woke her up. Her hope rose a little, only to discover that they were just using her driveway to turn around in the street. She watched them disappear, her heart sinking again. "She will return" she repeated, before pushing Lyric gently with her foot, "won't... she...?" Shelby inwardly scolded herself for being such a self centred, self assured girlfriend. She assumed that she could transform back to her former coach persona and things would be alright; like they always were when she taught. This was a lesson she soon learnt; that her girlfriend was not another one of her students that was there to obey every command, she was there as part of the family, someone that loved her, and that she loved dearly. This inward scolding was due to continue for as long as April was away. Feeling herself start to freeze, and watching Lyric feel the same way, Shelby got up and headed for the door. Opening it, she stood in the doorway and took one last glance behind her, only to see a car pull up in the driveway this time. Not getting her hopes up, she stood there and watched over her shoulder.
April spent the next ten minutes going over plans in her head; all of which ended with her getting drunk, spending the night in the car, and probable murder. She was not a fan in the slightest. Starting the engine, April slowly drove around a bit more before finally making her way back to the only place she knew anymore... home. The blonde woman took a few detours, actually afraid to go home in case she was welcomed by all her belongings being spread across the front lawn. Ya being irrational, Rhodes! She knew that Shelby was more grown up than that, it was something that she would expect from herself; well, her old self anyway. Entering their neighbourhood, April took a deep breath and entered the driveway, creeping up it and stopping, turning the engine off. She took another deep breath as she saw the brunette woman that she loved standing in the doorway wrapped in a blanket. Was... she really waiting out for me? April felt herself go a little weak, but with the help of the door, she stepped out of the car. She could feel herself trembling slightly, but that could have been from the coldness of the night. Leaving her clothes and wallet in the car, subconsciously, April took her keys and shut the car door, walking with her head down and hands clamped together along the path that lead to the steps. She stood at the bottom of the steps, nervously pulling the bottom of the shirt she was wearing down.
Shelby watched as the car in the driveway parked. Is it? Could it be? She watched as the figure hesitated, then got out of the car. It is! She turned herself around and dropped the blanket in the doorway, taking the few short strides to the top of the steps. The brunette watched as the petite blonde made her way to the bottom of the steps slowly. She examined what she was wearing, which she noticed was definitely not what she left the house in. With April stopping at the bottom of the steps, Shelby took a deep breath and walked down the steps, stopping inches away from the woman. She placed one hand on April's shoulder, the other under her chin, tilting it upwards gently so Shelby could look directly in to the eyes that generally gave her security. "Are-are you home..?" she asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer. She wanted nothing more than for things to go back to how they were, but understood if April didn't want it. Shelby had no right to begin yelling at her girlfriend the way she did, and she saw that now. She wouldn't blame April if she took off.
April could still feel herself trembling and could not bring herself to look up as she heard her girlfriend approaching her, stopping just in front of her. Being forced to look up, she did so cautiously. The brunette kept her hands tugging gently on the bottom of her shirt. She felt exposed enough emotionally, she didn't need it physically as well. Looking in to Shelby's beautiful green eyes, April could feel hers start to water. There was no hatred or disgust in them; just concern and love. She could feel her insides melt a little at the sound of Shelby's voice as it was now soft and calm. She nodded gently against the fingers on her chin, signifying that she was home. Home was where she wanted to be. With the woman she loved and their daughter. "I... I am so sorry" April whispered, closing her eyes as tears started sliding down her face, "I was on the couch... Then I was in his bed... Then I..." she shook her head, terrified to finish her sentence. She opened her eyes as she no longer felt Shelby's touch on her chin or shoulder. "I'm so sorry!"
Shelby breathed with relief as April nodded in response to her question. She could finally relax and stop stressing so much. She smiled lightly as April apologized; about to tell her that is wasn't her fault, until she heard the next distorted sentence. Her smile faded to a state of disbelief as she examined each word that she heard. April had already jumped in to bed with a man? Then dared to come home to her girlfriend? Shelby shook her head, "No" she protested, feeling sick just imagining. "No" she repeated, turning around and walking back up the steps. The brunette bent down slowly, picking up the blanket in the doorway then walked down the front hallway and in to the dining room. She put both hands on the kitchen table and leant forward slightly, allowing better access for oxygen to circulate her lungs. She didn't even have the full facts and already she had no idea what to make of the situation. Did she mean she was home to pick her stuff up, not just home? Shelby shook her head, trying to be rid of some thoughts that were just not agreeing with her.
April's eyes grew wide as Shelby's face turned to disbelief. She didn't want to hurt her, but didn't want any secrets between them either. She figured it was best to tell her of what happened first off; before they started working through things. More tears streamed down her cheeks as Shelby turned away from her. Keeping a few steps behind her, April followed the brunette, closing the front door behind her. Slowly walking down the front hall, she noticed her girlfriend's mobile strewn across the floor and became curious, but shortly pieced a story together in her head. Appearing in the dining room archway just moments after Shelby passed through it; April stood there and watched her girlfriend. She had no idea what the brunette was thinking, but by the looks of things, it wasn't good. "Shelby?" She half questioned, half pleaded. The women never used each other's names unless the situation was serious, which was rarely ever. "Shelby... Please... Talk to me" April suggested in a tiny voice. She was scared of what the situation was going to conclude with.
Shelby kept her head between her arms and continued breathing as she heard April approach. She couldn't look at her, not knowing, well thinking she knew, of what her girlfriend had gotten up to. She heard her voice, and as comforting as it was, it was also confusing. She was soft, compassionate; but was that only because she knew she had hurt the woman, or because she genuinely cared about the pair of them. "Who... who was he?" she questioned straight forwardly, not actually sure if she wanted to know. She felt tears sting her eyes, but refused to let them show. She refused to let April see her so defeated again. She raised her head upon April hesitating. Shelby assumed it was because it was someone they both knew, and there were not many of those around. He first thought was one of the New Directions boys. Noah or Finn, since at the time they were two people that Shelby knew they both had some form of history with. She knew that if it was Finn, April had not only hurt her, but would have hurt her eldest daughter too. "Well?" she asked impatiently seeing April fiddling with her thumbs and not looking to Shelby.
NOTE: Sorry it has taken so long guys! Uber epicly busy! Let me know what you think and what needs improving! Cheers! :D
